When discussing for the Albanian intellectual elite, my friend, the writer Shefki Hysa, unequivocally stated that one of our most prominent intellectuals was and remains Pjeter Arbnori, although he has already died. He never mention the word death, because, in his opinion, Pjeter Arbnori, this versatile erudite, has left behind a work as large and enduring, as due to it he has passed the threshold of immortality. So, for the writer Shefki Hysa, the life and work of the personality Pjeter Arbnori are immortal values in the precious treasure of the Albanian national culture.
Although the current policy is silent on this figure, trying to cover with a sinister veil of forgetfulness, my friend the writer Shefki Hysa smiles with a sort of enigmatic irony that is not known to whom it is addressed and, as always visionary, argues that personalities like Pjeter Arbnori emulate even with their physical absence. It is known that his soul is already part of the Divine Universe and is present in our world in the form of an angel, often justifies the writer Shefki Hysa. The little-soul politicians, part of the evil world, for sure that the presence of angelic deeds throttle them. And obviously the mischief of these souls set in motion that ancient mechanism that keeps alive the duality between good and evil. Only in this way can be explained the silence of the figure of the writer and dissident politician, Pjeter Arbnori – Mandela of the Balkans. Yes, yes, Mandela of the Balkans, is the famous Albanian Pjeter Arbnori, as is the former president of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova – Gandhi of the Balkans! – My friend Shefki Hysa says without hesitation. Don’t you believe?! The intellectuals Arbnori and Rugova are two personalities missionaries model of Peace in the Balkans, just as the Indian Gandhi and the African Mandela worldwide. Tell me about one another intellectual who resembles a little bit with their work in Albania, Kosovo and the Balkans, the writer Shefki Hysa insists. And indeed that nobody comes to mind to challenge him and my friend Shefki Hysa, this word’s magician hypnotic with the magic of his speech. Enough to put him in sensibility and Shefki Hysa brings a thousand arguments to defend his thesis: Arbnori – Albanian Mandela of the Balkans.
In January 1992, when it was newly established Publishing House “Bilal Xhaferri” dissident poet Namik Mane urged his friend Shefki Hysa to be interested in creating any acquaintance with the former political prisoner Pjeter Arbnori. It was rumored that he was a special writer, for the nature of his creativity (it was said that he had written some anti-communist works in prison), althought he had not published anything yet. He had made about 30 years political imprisonment, just as the South African leader Mandela, and now he was one of the main regional leaders of the opposition, Democratic Party. He represented the opposition of Shkodra, but in the intellectual circles was claimed that for the ideas, ideals and skills Pjeter Arbnori could become one of the main leaders of this political force, which may soon come to power.
Shefki Hysa didn’t made the word two his colleague, Namik Mane. He found the opportunity during a cultural activity that the leaders of the Association of the former politically persecuted organized and he became acquainted with Pjeter Arbnori. He listened attentively with his debonair appearance and entirely came alive when he recognized that it was created a publishing house with the name of the dissident writer Bilal Xhaferri, which would exalted not only the values of his work, but all the best values of the Albanian dissident writers. He shortly told that he was recognized with the creative activity and the anti-communist ideas of Bilal Xhaferri in prison and he felt amazed by that extraordinary talent, his bad luck, exile and death abroad. Then he said that he had also written a little in prison, secretly, with codes. He was even re-sentenced with ten years when they seized the manuscript of a novel with anti-communist ideas. Now he was dealing with a novel he had written in prison. It was still with handwriting and during the evenings he tried to oppress with an old machine of the brand “Olivetti” borrowed to a friend. As soon as he finished it they would sit to discuss.
They agreed to meet soon.
Two months later, on March 31, 1992 Democratic Party won parliamentary elections and took the power. Pjetër Arbnori, deputy of Shkodra, was elected chairman of the Albanian Parliament. Many intellectuals labeled this choice as a good omen for the Albanian culture.
The poet Namik Mane exalted to the colleagues for his foresight. Especially to the writer Shefki Hysa, who didn’t stay without humorously tamper him: “All the people already know, Namik Mane, that you are the most intuitive type that the world of letters has ever known”!
The poet Namik Mane jumped upwards badly inducing.
“You say it in jest, but I’m really foresayer. Look Pjetri, your friend, became someone in Albanian policy. If you remember, even for our poet Dritero Agolli I had once said that he was a great poet and person, with a great heart, but you didn’t believe, till you became friend and closely knew him. At the beginning you praised only Ismail Kadare! Am I or not a visionary?!” And to not defrauded to the poet Namik Mane was a really intuitive man. Sometime, in the mid-60s’s, he was interned together with the dissident Bilal Xhaferri in Hamalle of Durres, after the escape of Bilal he didn’t burn his poems, although he risked of being imprison, but hid them with the idea that there would come a day that will be overturned the communist dictatorship and they would serve as evidence of dissent and as rare value for future generations. And so it happened. Behold, he was now a respected personality even for the fact that he had preserved some of the best creations of Bilal Xhaferri, not only his own.
Not even two weeks had passed from the day when Pjeter Arbnori was elected president of the Assembly of Albania when he announced the publisher Shefki Hysa that he wanted to have a coffee together. Preferably to meet in Durres, in the beach neighborhood, where he was temporarily housed in one of the apartments of a government residence.
Naturally, former political prisoner was still homeless, without a home of his own in Tirana. The publisher Shefki Hysa decided to deepen the friendship with the writer Arbnori. He discussed even with the poet Namik Mane and left that initially he went to meet him, since he was from Durres and the evening was the most appropriate time for friendly conversation face to face. Namik went two consecutive nights, but didn’t find him. He was said that he came back later. Shefki Hysa then decided to go and to meet him a Sunday, noon. And so he did.
Finally they met. The writer Shefki Hysa shortly told him about his origin as cham, then he explained the mission of the Publishing House “Bilal Xhaferri” in the service of Albanian and worldwide cultural values. Pjeter Arbnori talked about his life. He told that he was born in Durres on 18 January 1935. He had passed an ordinary childhood. He finished the high school in Shkodra, brilliantly, in 1953. Perhaps for this reason he was allowed to work as a teacher, in Shkodra and Dukagjin, but was soon dismissed from work for political reasons. He finished the military duty and then worked as a laborer in Xhafzotaj and in SMT of Shijak. He entered the University with false documents and for two and a half years he gave the exams of five years taking the diploma with the motivation excellent in 1960. Since the age of 14 he began taking part in illegal groups against dictatorship. With a group of friends he distributed tracts with anti-communist content. He created a social democratic organization with an anti-communist program, but, in 1961, he was discovered and arrested. It was spring of 1961 when he was condemned to death for activities against the communist state, for agitation and propaganda. Later the death penalty was turned in 25 years imprisonment. Having done 18 years imprisonment he was also sentenced with other 10 years as anti-communist agitator and for the writing of the novel ” The house left half” (Shtëpia e mbetur për gjysmë) and other creations that were discovered by the guards.
After leaving the prison, in 1989, a year before the collapse of communist dictatorship and democracy arrival, a period in which was softened somewhat the oppressive ferocity of dictatorship because of economic problems that the country experienced, was forced to enter as a pupil to become a carpenter.
Once the democratic movement began, he took an active part in all demonstrations of Shkodra. With his initiative and of other anti-communist people in Shkodra knocked the bust of Stalini. He attended the first anti-communist movement in Tirana. On December 12, in the tribune of the founder rally of the Democratic Party, in Tirana, he handed Azem Hajdari and Sali Berisha a message from democratic and anti-communist Shkodra. On December 13, 1990 he was one of the main organizers of the anti-communist demonstration in Shkodra, where was thrown the bust of the dictator Enver Hoxha. For his continuing anti-communist activity he was elected chairman of PD for Shkodra. Later he was also elected as a MP. Without passing the year, there were new elections and he was re-elected MP.
PD won the most seats and it is known that it took the right of the government of the country, for the first time as an anti-communist democratic force, on March 31, 1992. Finally he was believed the task of the Chairman of the Assembly of Albania and the former political prisoner, entered as a leader in the office of former dictator Enver Hoxha, the former leader of the Communist Party. So, the headquarter of former central committee of the APL was already turned in headquarter of the Albanian Assembly. And the headquarter was directed by him, a former political prisoner.
Behold, the power of God had brought that he teaches good works in the service of Peace intellectual people, peace missionaries, emphasized Pjeter Arbnori in a moment with an appearance somewhat of a winner. Maybe it was the first time that he was opened so in good faith, as the creator in the eyes of the creator, because instantly he took the look somewhat tired with that voice with delaying tone. Then Pjeter Arbnori, like all creators, with emotion about the fate of his work, spoke for a novel that liked a lot. Its events took place somewhere in Nazi Germany, during the period of Reich the third. They were events more or less the same with those that had experienced Albanians during the rule of the dictatorial communist regime. So, he treated Nazism and Communism as two parallel world with the same content, regardless the particularities. In essence, were the same dictatorship that ruthlessly suppress any divine and human worth. They were a modern day savagery, the same as the barbarity of ancient barbarians, so not in vain he had titled it “When the Vikings flock” (Kur dynden Vikingët)…
Pjeter Arbnori, after a little thought, said he had deliberately shifted events in Germany, with the thought that even if this work was discovered in prison, the censors didn’t take it and didn’t punish him again. It was enough that he was sentenced for 10 years more for the novel “The house left half” (Shtëpia e mbetur për gjysmë). It is known that censors of the communist dictatorship appeared as anti-nasist and when they read a material with anti-nasist spirit, they would rub their hands from pleasure, instead of censored it. But destiny wanted not to let that work be discovered, which like many others he had written across the white sides of the newspaper’s pages “Voice of people” (Zëri i Popullit), organ of the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania.
He handed the novel written with a typewriter in a paper of official format. There were about forty pages, adjusting here and there with blue ink pen. His hand easily trembled of emotions just as he suffered from parkinson.
The publisher took the printed sheets and glanced the two-three first pages. It was understood since the first lines that it was a work written by a master. It began with a saying of the indian Nehru: “Fascism and communism are brothers”. The publisher Shefki Hysa felt excited as an archaeologist who suddenly discovers a rare fact that affects the course of human history. Instantly he reminded the phrases of some pseudo politicians who had begun to advertise that in Albania there were no genuine dissent. And those who made such statements should be the neo-communist of the post-communist with the desire to reduce and diminish the values of the former politically persecuted as true catalysts that accelerated and brought the collapse of the Albanian communist regime.
On the contrary neo-communists claimed that they set in motion with their wisdom the mechanism of the decomposition of dictatorial system. So, they claimed that they collapsed communism not the dissent… They were the thought and the movement of the Albanian dissidence.
However the publisher Shefki Hysa, while carrying on his hands the manuscript of Pjeter Arbnori work and while watching with the eyes of the mind how his youth was vanished in prisons, turning into this old gray beard and fallen hair man that was in front of him, thought otherwise. Here was the vivid model of the Albanian Dissident, Pjeter Arbnori.
So, it had existed, was rooted at the tired intellectuals in the province, at the individuals rebelled in the spirit through towns and outlying villages, to the internees, prisoners and all the non-satisfied, that the regime had denied the possibility of self-expression. He was at Bilal Xhaferri and Vilson Blloshmet, poets who paid fiercely their rebellion against the dictatorship…
Exactly, with the publication of their works, works as the one he had in hand, Shefki Hysa publisher would give a blow to the pseudo- politicians trends that together with the Albanian national wealth unjustly wanted to take also her dissidence.
The book “When the Vikings flock” (Kur dynden Vikingët) of the writer Pjeter Arbnori was published in August of 1992. The writer Shefki Hysa was in the role of editor, publisher, also wrote the foreword for the novel. Pjeter, graciously acknowledged all the comments and suggestions, he also made the processing of the material as the editor required and the novel was really a surprise for Albanian readers. The only thing that the author adamantly asked was the presentation on the cover of the book of the black broken cross of the Nazi grafted with the five-pointed red star of communism, which was realized according to his imagination and the appearance was really impressive. The book was published with a circulation of fifteen thousand copies and was welcomed by many readers. The writer Pjeter Arbnori felt delighted as a naive child in front of the book. He touched it and shed tears. It was his first publication and he was not young, but 57 years old. Of course he would feel excited with all those he had passed in life. He was so human with that behavior that with that longing he ignored his own position as a senior politician. He could have been hold heavy shade with a cold mask of bureaucrat in his face, but not. He was man, great Man.
Seeing the very friendly relations with that complex personality the publisher Shefki Hysa, as never before felt proud for the commitment toward the work of this man. Deep himself seemed to have performed a sacrifice in one of the holy temples of God, in church or in mosque, a sacrifice for which he believed would not go awry. Sublime sacrifice.
He was proud that he had also written a preface with the whole soul, felt as if it was one of his creations. He wrote:
Once you read the title of the book “When the Vikings flock” (Kur dynden Vikingët) of the writer Pjeter Arbnori, the mind goes immediately to the barbarian invasions since the ancient times. Not without pain he imagines all the extinct civilizations, people dismantled, races and languages assimilated. Vandals keen on zulm, have swallowed the soul, not only the matter, unable to be human, to resemble somehow those who tried to subdue.
But the author what flock is talking about? Maybe for the communist plague? The note “Written in Burrel prison” since on top as a significant subtitle, promotes the thought that, in this book, the object of the rebel writer and worthy political opponent of the former dictatorship, should be exactly that hell climate that possessed all the communist east and in particular Albania. But in the first sentence of this novel you face with Reich the third of the former Nazi Germany. So, it comes to Hitler’s dictatorship, one of the most perfect models of the inhuman oppressive machine of the Stalinist type. The movement of the events through the labyrinths of Nazi Germany, is nothing more but the author’s message, sent from the prison of Burrel for the similarity of Nazi and communist crimes in family, social and political life. Moreover, the curiosity to discover the relationship between symbolism and reality that itself carries the sentence “Vikings flock” rises. Why not “Vikings flocked”? Where is the secret and priority the use of the present tense of the verb flock, in comparison with the past tense that might fit the period of the events’ developments.
Vikings still flock? To what extent and what are the consequences of flock?
Such questions harass awhile, but are quickly forgotten in a very emotional reading in front of that strange space that unfolds alive among the eyes, as the tempting and inviting shores of the Odyssey’s sirens or as the magic islands of Circe whereupon experiences only anxiety, pain, revolt and horror for that human ugliness that occupies the path. So, this piece extract from the preface shows that the writer Shefki Hysa has seen into with a sense of artist in the magical world of the work of the creator Pjeter Arbnori – Albanian Mandela of the Balkans, as he often called him in the conversations with his friends. The politician Pjeter Arbnori appeared simple and ready in the eyes of the friends, ready to respond with sacrifices to the sacrifices that they made for him. He honored and respected very much the writer Shefki Hysa. He suspended or hastened the end of each official meeting when the secretary announced that in the office lobby was the writer Shefki Hysa. He went himself to the lobby and took him as an old friend, although he was almost twice older. He expected him the first than any MP or staff official of the Assembly. They talked long and advised each other particularly for the development of literature and for the Albanian and world culture problems.In 1994 the publisher Shefki Hysa prepared for publication another book of the creator Arbnori. It was the novel “Beauty with the shade” (Bukuroshja me hijen). This was also a work written in the prison of Burrel. It was an idyllic creativity, a flight of imagination of the author beyond the prison walls and the slavery where had pent-up physically and spiritually former communist dictatorship. The new publication was really liked. It was something unexpected and unthinkable for the Albanian reader, something that he could not expect from the world of a former prisoner. There could not be perceived that an ex-convict elderly to write with such feeling, passion and lyricism for human love. This novel was a surprise even for the writer Shefki Hysa. Here’s how he wrote in notes accompanying that publication:
You have to be a man with a very sensitive heart, being a writer truly gifted to have both patience and fantasy to neatly braided with the pen tip the idyllic and glittered veil of a summer beach, pent-up inside the cells of a tremendous prison like that of Burrel. It is unbelievable, but true. Former political prisoner Pjetër Arbnori, in terms of wild terror, through the darkness of the illuminated cell only with the light of the eyes and fire of memories of early youth that fails to besmirch the psychological or physical violence, which hunger doesn’t quenches, striving not only to survive, but also to sharpen the thought and feeling so then to clot in a special art. This is the romance “Beauty with the shade” (Bukuroshja me hijen). Her fate is a part of the author’s fate, of those people that recently came to light, from the fence of barbed wire, with soul still intact, thanks to the explosion of the dormant energies.
You read this romance and can’t stay without shuddering not only from the lyrical hectic state and the messages it conveys, but for the fact how it is created within the recesses of the edifice of the fear of the notorious prison of Burrel. We don’t exaggerate at all, if we express figuratively, that this artistic values is conceived and grown like the pearls within the mussels shell of deep submarine. The pearl’s hunters know what they do to find and extract by submarine depths and to put in the service of man such treasures. So, this romance that has nothing to do with the horrors of prison, rather it is a successful try of the author, as desire and whim, to sing the immemorial human feelings as man himself, love. Although in an area where have entered and failed many writers, Pjeter Arbnori, in his own way, with the hue of his emotional world, finally, manages to weave a new hymn to the love, this time with the most Albanian features. Those who will read this romance, will be convinced that after the publication of the novel “When the Vikings flock” (Kur dynden Vikingët), the Publishing House “Bilal Xhaferri” displays another artistic proof for the undeniable talent of this author, already not young in age, but in soul. “Beauty with the shade” (Bukuroshja me hijen) is a challenge for skeptics, nihilists, mediocre. Even in the darkness of prison, he kept in his soul and work the purity of light, when many other writers, though they lived in the light, the darkness of dictatorship took place in their lives. Pjeter Arbnori will have his place in our literature. He as a tireless hunter will surely continue the search of such pearls in the painful seas of creativity for the pleasure of those who know the value of miracles. And the future will reward him, engraving his name in the memory of time. Those were what Shefki Hysa wrote for the work of his friend. Notice how he characterizes, the myth Pjeter Arbnori, with a magical ability to recreate the freedom even there where its presence may not be perceived, in a notorious prison like the prison of Burrel, spawned of the unique ferocity of the former Albanian communist dictatorship.
The journalist Shefki Hysa, as head of the Chameria Cultural Community, asked the politician Pjeter Arbnori to go for a visit in the town of Konispol, neglected by the government of former communist dictatorship and he immediately accepted. It is known that Konispol is the northen province of Chameria remained within the Albanian border, the only area that symbolizes the Cham culture and traditions in Albania. And the back was deliberately turned to the economic development of this region. Konispol City was deliberately left in limbo, without funds of investments for roads and public works. It was treated as a backward commune, instead of being a developed municipality, as it had even the earlier traditions. The Mayor and the residents of Konispol welcomed the writer Pjeter Arbnori as a king. The general high school “Bido Sejko” organized the discussion of his creativity and turned that day into a holiday with music and dance. It was tabled a rare lunch with Cham traditional dishes and the politician Pjeter Arbnori was delighted by that reception. He didn’t know how to thank the organizers and especially the writer Shefki Hysa. In 1993 the journalist Shefki Hysa, together with a group of intellectuals, friends of Cham ideal, created the Community Cultural of Chameria (Cultural Association “Bilal Xhaferri”). One of the main objectives of this organization was the return of the bones of the dissident writer Bilal Xhaferri in Albania, who had died in the USA. To accomplish this mission successfully without bureaucratic hurdles of the Albanian state, Shefki Hysa thought to seek help from the politician Pjeter Arbnori. And so he did. After he discussed and got the word of the politician, he put the mind at work. He came up with the idea to quickly raise a commission. As committee chairman he proposed the writer Pjeter Arbnori, president of the Presidium of the National Assembly. After this action he drew up a financial project for submission to the Ministry of Culture. Pjeter Arbnori, as chairman of the committee for the ceremonial of the return at home of the bones of the dissident writer Bilal Xhaferri, naturally signed the project. Ministry of Culture agreed to fund. The main newspapers published the news under the title “will return home the bones of Bilal Xhaferri” and with the content: “The President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, at the request of Publishing House” Bilal Xhaferri “and the Cultural Community of Chameria, has decided that the Albanian state will return home the bones of the prominent dissident writer Bilal Xhaferri, exiled and died in the USA, a refugee from the former dictatorship. Following consultations between institutions charged by the President and with the relevant personalities, was approved the Organizing Committee for the ceremonial of the return home of the bones, decoration and re-burials of the anti communist writer Bilal Xhaferri. The journalist Shefki Hysa, once funding was secured, he went in the USA, to arrange in Chicago the ceremonial of the exhumation, to return in Albania and rebury the bones, with all the honors, as it belonged to the outstanding figure of Bilal Xhaferri. This was truly an unprecedented victory for Chams. Finally they were making one of their missions a reality. On May 3, 1995, President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, decreed the decoration of Bilal Xhaferri with the medal “Martyr of Democracy” (Martir i Demokracisë)… Three days later, on May 6, 1995, after many vicissitudes that passed in Chicago, the USA, the journalist Shefki Hysa, president of the Cultural Community of Chameria, brought in Albania the bones of Bilal Xhaferri. In Tirana a splendid ceremony was organized which was attended, under the direction of Pjeter Arbnori, all the highest state authorities, politicians, writers, artists, journalists, leaders of nongovernmental organizations, friends and colleagues and relatives. The ceremonial was organized in the International Center of Culture. Tirana, the capital, the place from where the dissident writer had been expelled from the former dictatorship, had now sat the black and red flag at half. Finally, the tomorrow on May 7, 1995, the bones of the deceased Bilal Xhaferri were buried in Saranda. The echo of this activity, largely reflected by the Albanian Radio Television, the Albanian and foreign press, went throughout all the areas where the Albanian fellow were, in Kosovo, Macedonia and all over the world and once showed again the Cham’s children knew to keep up their ideal. The writer Pjeter Arbnori appreciated very much the tireless work of his friend, the journalist Shefki Hysa, not only in conversations with intellectual elites, but also in formal settings and in the press. After the end of the ceremonial, in the closing meeting with members of Cultural Community of Chameria: artists, journalists, writers and intellectuals of other fields, Pjeter Arbnori addressed the auditor:
“Dear friends of the deceased Bilal Xhaferri!”I express not as Chairman of the Presidency of the Assembly, but as your friend, as contemporary and inmate of great people as Bilal Xhaferri, the poet, prose writer and prominent dissident publicist, as Mr. Shefki Hysa qualifies him, so dedicated to the mission he has set himself for the exaltation of this brilliant figure that communist dictatorship tried to undo and threw away in the oblivion bin, as it did with many other patriots, as it did with Pjetër Arbnori. I express as honorary member of the Cultural Association “Bilal Xhaferri” and as chairman of the Committee for the Organizing of Ceremonial of the returning home the bones of the deceased Bilal. You charged me this task and I think I have done it well. From my experience I say that is not easy to deal with such complex figures as Bilal Xhaferri. It is one of the most difficult missions that a man who understands can take. Mr. Shefki Hysa had the courage to charge himself this mission and managed to wake the memory of the Albanians for the extraordinary talent Bilal Xhaferri, managed to bring back home and he is resting in peace at birthplace, in Saranda. I think that with this human act, Mr. Shefki Hysa, Publishing House “Bilal Xhaferri” and Cultural association “Bilal Xhaferri” have fulfilled their mission for the Cham issue, have served Chameria as nobody else, of course with our help and yours. However, in my opinion, the mission “Bilal Xhaferri” can be called fulfilled in its core, regardless the additions and decorations that time will bring and other patriots that will follow Mr. Shefki Hysa”.
So, finally, thanks to the commitment of intellectuals as Shefki Hysa, the voice of Chameria had begun to be felt and to echo even in the Albanian life. Goodness is rewarded with goodness; this is one of the mottoes of the writer Shefki Hysa, who is guided by the principle that if you did a favor, he double bound. Perhaps this behavior is also one of the secrets of his success. After the completion of the “Mission – Bilal Xhaferri” the writer Shefki Hysa felt as proud and anxious. He didn’t know how to reward his friend, Pjetër Arbnori, the generous help he gave. The publication of another book seemed a little, very little, although Pjetër assured him that as every Albanian patriot, he had his own obligations for Chameria. However Shefki Hysa had as a pledge in the heart the inability to restore the honor. So was he… In 1996, Pjetër Arbnori had ready for publication the novel “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla). The publisher Shefki Hysa took it, edited, prepared for print and sent it to the printing press. It was one of the most voluminous works of the author, over four hundred pages, one of the most accomplished. The novel “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla) came from the press in January of 1997, with a circulation of ten thousand copies. It is known that 1997 was one of the most turbulent and vicious years for Albania, however “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla) was welcomed. This work was liked by the readers perhaps by the fact that it described the historical whirlpool that often interlock Albanian life, just as the political-economical whirlpool that had caught by the throat Albania in that year of mourning. Here’s how the pen of the writer Shefki Hysa characterized this work. “It is said that the world was born from chaos, that light was born from darkness. But it cannot be accepted that life arose from death. Life is the world full of light. Life is constantly risked by death, as well as the world by chaos, as light by darkness. However life is in the world from thousands of years ago. Life survives, especially, at man – the only reasonable creature and the most endangered of this world. To man is threatened everything. The threatened man coexists with risk, resist to risk. Everywhere risks and overall risk by its kind. In the whirlpool of history are appeared not only individuals, but also warrior people. Race threatened by other human race. People risked by other people. Among the risked, the Albanian people remain the most risked. Maybe they remained since the times of Prometeu. Albanian- is the model of the risked man. Even risked by themselves. Grandpa after grandpa swallowed in the drifts of death whirlpool. You can’t say that fire re-lit by its ash, but Albanian fervid through wars, from the barbarians’ invasions and the Empire of West and East, is reborn from his ashes. The Albanian hero is reborn so many times by the death that fell on his head. Israelis, biblical persecuted, through the waves of humanity history survived. They were again persecuted, almost up to extermination, by the Nazi. Mankind did homage to Israeli pain. Albanian pain, rather, is turned back. Albanians had to reappear as many times from the ruins of empires. He has rediscovered himself, as archaeologists discover ancient statues after the excavation extremely fatiguing. Empire after empires have collapsed on the head of the Albanian and he is revamped, giddily, with wounds, through empire dawn and could resist heroically, from one death to the other, from one circle of hell to another, while he reborn again back. Such heroes embody the novel “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla) of the writer Pjetër Arbnori. Heroes reborn from the whirlpool of human hell. After reading the “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla) everyone can say that Arbnori has artistically recreated a historical reality detached by the dawn whirlpool of the period after Prizreni League. However, despite the hue and the unique originality of the events and episodes that are confessed in the work, its heroes recall the resistance fighter of all Albanian millennia, even the hero reborn from the era of communist hell. So, “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla) is a cut of Albanian millennia history, regardless the time position it is experienced, is a synthesis of the turbulence of the past and future, imitation as well as artistic generalization. A work created in unusual circumstances, born like a swirl of light in the darkness of prisons, with unusual characters, which resemble, more or less their creator. Arbnori was reborn from hell, being miraculously escaped by the death’s shackles. The red hell devoured many victims, as the unfortunate characters of tales that, to get rich or to have the Beauty of Earth for wife, take that “way in which you go and never return”. On the contrary, Arbnori, through this way ended in “Hereafter” of communist prisons. He survived all the horrors of the circles of hell and finally found the path of return loaded with victory and with all those treasures – his literary work, among them the novel “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla), and the Beauty of Earth – the honor the writer deserves.
“He survived the plague epidemic,” is said in such cases. He survived, as the almost mythical characters of “Whirlpool” (Vorbulla). For the sake of art and the ability to reborn, he will be engraved in the memory of generations”…
Believe it or not, but for me, as I said earlier, as many other creators say, the writer Shefki Hysa is a word wizard, a magician that let you mindless with the ability to hypnotized with the power of words. You can understand this after you have read the texts of his pen. It is the opportunity, dear readers, to judge how the writer Shefki Hysa artistically reflects the rebirth of the phoenix Pjetër Arbnori from the whirlpool of the Albanian communist hell.
Paulin Rranzi
Writer